Apparatus for inducing flow of oil from wells



Dec. 9, 1930. w. A. MELTON 1,784,242

APPARATUS FOR INDUCING FLOW OF OIL FROM WELLS Filed Sept. 25. 1926 A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES 4rnfrlazili OFI-fica WENDELL A. MELTON, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA, AssIeNon To THE 1J, A. nULL'co.,ror

TULSA, oxLAnouA I Y Y ArrAnATus 'non mnUcING rLow or on.l Frou .l Application med September 25, 1926. Serial No. 137,741.

My invention relates to an`apparatus for inducing the ow of iiuids from wells and more particularly to use of an artiicial pressure medium suchv as air or gas for induclngiiow of liquid suchas oil'or water from the wells.

The principal objects of the invention arel to so apply thearticial pressure medium as to supplement or assist the natural rock presf sure within the well and to so confine the artificial pressure medium above the existing rock 'pressure that it will not interfere with the natural flow of the fluids to the tubing by a back pressure against natural rock pressureexisting in the well.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view through an oil well equipped with apparatusembodyring my invention.

Fig-2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the apparatus',parts being shown in section to better illustrate the construction of the'suction-creating nozzle, and

Fig. 3 is a. similar view of a slightly modil lied form of apparatus.

Referring more in detail to the drawings numerals of reference:

'1 designates a well hole having a liquid ocketJ2 inanv oil-bearing, strata, the well ole being lined with the usual casing 4 supported upon the cap rock 5 by the casing shoe 6 all ofwhich is in accordance with commonpr'aetice-.and forms` no part of the present invention.

' Suspended within the casing4 is a well tubing 7, havingthe usual perforations 8 at its lower end and 'extending at its upperend through acasin'ghea'd 9, through which liquidis delivere'dpfrom the pocket 2, both byrock pressure', which is usually present at the time the well is brought in, and later by artificial means.

To assist or take the place of the natural rock pressure, I introduce a pressure medium such as air or gas, through a pipe'lO screwed into a nipple .11', on the casing head so that vthe artificial pressure medium may be delivered into'the casing and downwardlyabout the tubing near the lower endof the casing where its continued flow into the well pocket liquid strata is prevented by a packer 12 carried by the tubing and comprising rings 13 which engage the casing, thereby sealing oli thenatural rock vpressure so that it maybe effective to lift the fiuid in the tubin and preventing back pressure on the liquid the artificial ressure medium,

Locate within thetubing, immediately above the packerris a nozzle llicomprising a swedged nipple 15 havinga threaded lower portion 16 of a diameter to be received in the internally threaded ends`17 and 18 of adjoining tubing'sections so that the nozzle is supported thereby'and serves as a couplin for securing the, tubing sections together. A ove the threaded ortion, the` nozzletapers inwardly to a re uced tubular portion 19 which extends upwardly within the tubingto provide a circumferential restricted passageway pressure .medium supplied to the 'casing through the casing hea is directed upwardly about the mouth of the nozzle to' draw liquid from the nozzle by suction and force it upwardly within the tubing to 'delivery at the surface of the ground.

In 'employing the apparatus described, air i.

or gas is forced under pressure through the casing about the tubing until its ilow is obstructed by the packer, and is directed up- Wardly through the openings in the tubing and about the nozzle, creating a vacuum therein to :lift the liquid from the lower portion of the tubing and discharge it.

through the nozzle Where it 'is picked up by the upwardly iowing air or gas and carried thereby to the upper end ofthe tubing from -which it may be discharged' into a storage tank or like receptacle (not shown) without applying any back pressure on the' producing strata. v

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3, I employ a somewhat diiferent type of nozzle 23 which vis supported within the tubing by nipples 24 welded to the tubing and to the nozzle and providing communication v between the interior of the nozzle and the space between the tubing and the casing. The nozzle 23 comprises a tubular body 25 similar toV the nozzle in the preferred form and having a conical lower end 26 which does not interfere with free flow of liquid through the m tubing, the upper end 27 of the nozzle terminating within a Venturi throat 28 formed within thetubing.

Thus it will be seen that in this form oil from the tubing will flow over the end of the nozzle and through the venturi, increasing the velocity ofthe flow through the tubing somewhatin the manner of an injector, and without applying back'pressure on the producing strata.

zo What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l 1.'In combination with well casing, sectional tubing, two lower tubing sections hav- 'ing interior screw threads at their adjacent ends, said ends being in abutment, a nozzle having an exteriorly threaded body coupling said tubing sections to enclose the nozzle by the tubing and having an u ardly directed reducing nipple, the upper Idirt of said tub- 30 ing sections having upwardly inclined ports opening inwardly about the nipple, a packer between the tubing and casing below p the ports, means for sealing the top of the casing,

j and means for delivering artificial pressure medium to the space between'the tubing and casing above the packer.

' 2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a well casing, a tubin having a plurality of sections, a nozzle in t e tubing,

40 said nozzle having a nipple integral therewith and joining adjacent sections and a reduced portion joined to said nipple, a packer on the tubing below the nozzle in sealed relationship with the casing, the tubing having A5 upwardly inclined openings surrounding the said reduced portion of the nozzle for ad mitting pressure medium from the space between the tubing and casing above the packer. In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

WENDELL A. MELTON. 

